In the past, machines to build tires have included combinations of drums for forming tire carcasses and transfer units for transferring partially built tire carcasses from drum to drum. One such tire building apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,587 to Sumiuchi et al. Sumiuchi utilizes three drums for forming green partially built carcasses and transfer units that slide along guide rails for transferring the partially built carcasses from one drum to another. At any given time, tire components can be applied to the partially built carcasses of three tires. Applicants recognized the need to increase the efficiency and production of tire building apparatuses. Applicants utilize a number of rotating turrets to successionally move tire forming drums from component applicator to component applicator without having to transfer a partially formed tire carcass from a drum more than once, thereby reducing the time to produce tires while providing tire uniformity and production efficiency.
The present invention contemplates a new and improved tire building apparatus and method which is simple in design, effective in use, and overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.